Ground-lever for switches and signals



(No Model.)

J. T'. HAMB'AY. GROUND LEVER FOR SWITCHES AND SIGNALS. No. 416,162.Patented Dec. 8, 1889.

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wrrm-TsE: INVENTOR, a/wvq @"6 k Y i w /mm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAlllES '1. HAMBAY, OF VVILKINSBURG, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SXVITCH ANDSIGNAL COMPANY, OF

PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

GROUND-LEVER FOR SWITCHES AND SIGNALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,162, dated December3, 1889.

Application filed Febrnary21, 1889. Serial No. 300,706- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES T. I-IAMBAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or dis covered certain new and usefulImprovements in Ground-Levers for Switches and Signals, of whichimprovements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements inlocking mechanism for switch and signal operating mechanism, being moreespecially applicable to that class or kind known as ground-levermachines, and has for its object a construction of mechanism whereby theswitch-operatingmechanism is relieved either wholly or in part of theshocks and strains incident to the passage of trains over or through theswitch.

In general terms the invention consists in the construction andcombination of mechanical devices, all as more fully hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

I11 the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a switch and its operatingmechanism having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view in sideelevation of the switch-operating mechanism; and Fig. 3 is a sectionalelevation on an enlarged scale,

' the plane of section being indicated by the line 03 cc, Fig. 1.

In the practice of my invention abed-plate 1, having blocks 2 formedthereon, is secured to one of the cross-ties inconvenient proximity tothe switch, as shown in Fig. 1. On the outer ends of pins 3 and 4,secured in said blocks 2, are loosely mounted atdisk 5 and a pulley 6,respectively, said' disk and pulley having handles 7- and 8, wherebythey may be is loosely mount-ed in the blocks 2, between the disk andpulley. This pin is made a little longer than the distance between thead jacent sides of the disk and pulley, and in said adjacent sides ofthe disk and pulley are formed conical recesses 13 and 14, which are solocated as to be in line with the ends of the pin 12 only when theswitch-rails are properly set for clear main line and when the signal isat normal or danger.

It follows from the foregoing that in order to shift the switch-railsfor the siding the signal must be at danger,so that the lockingpin 12may enter the recess 14 in the pulley, and thereby permit of therotation of the disk 5 and consequent shifting of the switch. As the pin12 is longer than the distance between moved, one end of the pin 12being in engagement with the recess 14, and any longitudinal movement ofthe pin being prevented by the disk until said disk is so rotated as tobring its recess 13 in line with the end of the pin, such movementrestoring the switch to clear main line. If now the pulley be rotated toclear the signal, the pin 12 will be shifted longitudinally intoengagement with the recess in the disk, thereby locking the disk andswitch-rails until the signal be returned to danger.

In the mechanism described it is necessary to secure the switch-rodrigi'dly to the rails, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, in order toinsure a complete movement of the switch-rails when a lock is effected,and hence all shocks or strains to which the switch'rails are subjeotedby the passage of trains are transmitted to the pin 1.0, which issometimes broken off by such shocks. In order to overcome thisobjection, I rigidly secure a locking-bar 15 to the switch-rails, saidbar extending out supported by guides 16, formed on the plate 1. In oneedge of the locking-bar are formed 18, formed on the side of andextending partially around the pulley, will pass through the notcheswhen the pulley is rotated to shift the signal to safety, provided theswitchrails have been shifted into proper position for clear main line,but not otherwise, the lockalongside of the pulley (3, its outer endbeing notches 17, which are so located that a flange the disk andpulley, the latter cannot be ing-bar being so located that the end ofthe flange 18 will engage the side of the bar when the switches are inany other position than for clear main line. Thus it will be seen thatmy improved lock will effect the same functions as the lock hereinbeforedescribed, and that as the signal can be moved only when a full movementof the rails to clear main line has been attained, the switch-rod can beyieldingly connected to the rails, as shown at 19, Fig. 1, Wherespring-cushions are employed to take up shocks imparted to the rails.

The, locking device last described can be used in connection with thelocking-pin 12,

. that shown and described may be employed for shifting theswitch-rails.

I claim herein as my invention 1. In a switch and signal apparatus, the

combination of a signal-shifting pulley having a flange 18, alocking-bar notched as described and connected to the movableswitchrails, a switch-rod connected to the switchrails, and mechanismfor shifting said rods, substantially as set forth.

2. In a switch and signal apparatus, the combination of asignal-shifting pulley having a flange 18, a locking-bar notched asdescribed. and connected to the movable switchrails, and an oscillatingdisk having a springconnection to the movable switch-rails andinterlocked with the signal-shifting pulley, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES T. HAMBAY.

lVitnesses:

DARWIN S. WoLooTT, W. B. CoRwIN.

